If you’re feeling lonely, you’re not alone. Loneliness is an increasingly common experience, and it can have severe consequences. People who feel lonely are at higher risk of serious health issues, including heart disease, immune deficiency and depression.
Traditionally, loneliness has been viewed as an individual problem requiring individual solutions, such as psychological therapy or medication. Yet loneliness is caused by feeling disconnected from society. It therefore makes sense that treatments for loneliness should focus on the things that help us make these broader connections.
Read more from Jennifer Kent, Senior Research Fellow in Urbanism, University of Sydney; Emily J. Rugel, Honorary Adjunct Lecturer, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, and Marlee Bower, Research Fellow, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney at StreetsBlogUSA here.